The Church of St Paul – discover Venetian history and unique Renaissance art

Large room with Venetian paintings and ceiling fresco in the church Chiesa di San Polo in Venice

Fassadendetail von Chiesa di San Polo in Venedig

Highlights

With the Venice City Pass, you can experience the city’s most popular museums, attractions and guided tours – one ticket, everything included.
Your admission ticket for the Church of San Paolo Apostolo is already included in your City Pass.
No advance reservation is required for this attraction.

The altarpiece by Jacopo Tintoretto: admire and enjoy the Venetian Renaissance art
The architecture: explore the exciting architecture with its different styles and influences on the building
The rich art collection: discover the impressive collection of paintings and sculptures

Discover the fantastic Renaissance treasures of the Church of San Polo

What awaits you on site

The Chiesa di San Polo, actually San Paolo Apostolo, is located in the San Polo district and is an important religious and cultural landmark of Venice. According to legend, the church was founded in 837. What is certain is that the bell tower was built from 1362. The present building was constructed in the Gothic style in the 15th century and extended in the 17th century. The church’s façade is impressive, with Gothic decorations and a large rose window. Unlike many other churches in Venice, San Polo has never been fundamentally remodelled – and the contemporary additions and adaptations of the 18th and 19th centuries have been removed as far as possible. The combination of Byzantine, Gothic and neoclassical architecture, which resulted from the additions in earlier eras, makes the exterior façade an exciting experience for art lovers.

Works by famous Renaissance painters adorn the interior

Inside, you will find fantastic works by various Renaissance artists, such as the ceiling frescoes by Giandomenico Tiepolo and wall paintings such as ‘The Last Supper’ by Jacopo Tintoretto, who also created the altarpiece. Jacopo Guarana, Alessandro Vittoria and Paolo Veronese are also represented in the church with their works. In addition to paintings, the sculptures and statues are particularly noteworthy. Also worth seeing is the crucifix oratory, which was built in 1505 to replace a Gothic vestibule through which one could previously enter the church. Giandomenico Tiepolo created a 14-part cycle of paintings here about the Stations of the Cross.

How to get there

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Address:
Campo San Polo, 30125 Venice, Italy

Good to know

Opening hours
Monday to Saturday: 10.30 am – 1.30 pm and 2.30 – 5 pm
Last admission is at 4.20 pm.
The church is closed to visitors every Sunday, as well as on 1 January, Easter, 15 August and 25 December.
Opening times are subject to change (depending on the season). For up-to-date information, please check the official website of the attraction - Chiesa di San Polo – San Paolo Apostolo.

Your admission ticket for the Church of San Paolo Apostolo is already included in your City Pass.